Camelot Secures Third Licence

Last Updated: Wednesday 25th May 2011, 16:39 pm

Camelot Group plc has been named as the preferred bidder for the third lottery licence by the National Lottery Commission (NLC). Camelot have been running the UK National lottery since it launched in November 1994. The third licence comes into force in 2009 and will run until 2019.

Camelot faced just one opponent in the bid for the third licence - the biggest lottery company in India - but with a glowing track record and an impressive bid, Camelot was named the preferred bidder in a "unanimous decision".

"I am thrilled that Camelot has been chosen as the Commission's Preferred Bidder," said Dianne Thompson CBE, Camelot Chief Executive. "I am particularly pleased for all our staff, who put more than 50,000 working days into writing the best possible bid. My thanks go to all of them, together with our shareholders for their investment in Camelot's bid.

"We now need to agree the final form of the licence. The competition is not over until this has been done. I have also activated the transition plans which we have carefully prepared in tandem with our bid over the last two years. So we have a very challenging period ahead."

Shortly after the National Lottery Commission's decision was announced, Camelot unveiled its plans for making sure that the lottery is "in the best possible shape for the start of the new licence in 2009". These include:

Finalising the Licence and Enabling Agreement that will formally close the competition for the third lottery licence.

Appointing a Transition Director to "help deliver the company's most ambitious programme of transformation since the lottery launched in 1994".

Promoting and raising awareness of the Good Causes that the lottery helps to support.

Introducing new technology, including a new network of terminals and digital screens across 27,000 lottery retailers.

Dianne Thompson concluded her statement by saying: "I would like to put on record my thanks to the NLC for putting its trust in Camelot to develop and nurture The National Lottery in what will be its third decade. We won't let them down."